Bottleholder



Feb. 1, 1944. c; ENGERT 2,340,521

BOTTLE HOLDER Filed Sept. 18, 1941 INVENTOR.

Cam 091 1? EJ2991 1? Patented Feb. 1, 1944 BOTTLEHOLDER Caspar-Emmett,

11]., asslgnor to Poster Chicago Products Inc., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application September 18, 1941, Serial No. 411,321

7Claims.

This invention relates to a supporting lmit or holder, and more particularly to a supporting unit or holder for bottles. It further relates to a holder or supporting unit of the character described which may be used in the advertising or display of bottled drinks.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved supporting unit for bottles which is compact, simple and inexpensive to produce.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means of advertising or displaying bottles or bottled drinks.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a supporting unit of the character described which may be attached to walls, glass showcases, glass windows, mirrors, or other plane surfaces so as to prominently display bottled goods in a simple and efllcient manner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a supporting unit of the character described in which the attachment of the supporting unit to the plane surface is accomplished by means of a pressure sensitive adhesive whereby the supporting unit may be detached or removed as a whole from said surface.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a supporting unit of the character described in which not only may the supporting unit be removed as a whole without staining or otherwise marring the surface to which it is attached, but also the supporting unit is provided with a separable supporting device for the articles having afiange at the top such as bottles, which may be removed in order to substitute or replace a different type of article to be displayed, but without removing the supporting unit as a whole.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates an elevational view of a bottle holder which forms a preferred embodi- 1 meat of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side view representing the several elements of the bottle holder separated or detached from each other;

Figure 3 is a side view partly in section showing a bottle in combination with the bottle holder shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the back of the unit shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view with parts broken away of another form of the invention; and

Figures 6, 7 and 8 represent embodiments fall- 'ing within the broader aspects of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, the article holder shown comprises a metal stamping 2 having a pair of opposed struck-out portions 4 and 6 adapted to receive the out-tumed ends 8 and I0, respective- 1y, 0! a wire loop l2. The construction and spacing of the struck-out portions 4 and i and of the wire loop I! is such that by pressing inwardly against the sides l4 and [8 of the wire loop I! with the fingers the ends 8 and Ill may be disengaged from the eyelets or holes formed by the struck-out portions 4 and i.

In order to support a bottle, the loop I2 is removed in this manner, placed around the neck or the bottle and re-inserted in the eyelets I and 6. The pressure of the spring wire arolmd the bottle grips the bottle securely and also creates spring tension to hold the ends of the wire in the fittings 4 and 6 on the stamping.

The stamping 2 is disposed in the lower region of a relatively larger supporting unit l8, which is flexible and is preferably made of paper, a combination paper and rubber fiber, or of some other flexible sheet material of suitable strength. The back of the sheet material I8 is provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive coating 20, as shown in Figure 2. Prior to use, a conventional type of protective material 22, for example, holland cloth, is also provided in order to cover the pressure sensitive adhesive coating 20. The holland cloth, or other protective material may, if desired, be provided with any conventional or suitable means to facilitate the stripping thereof from the pressure sensitive adhesive coating 2|. This may be accomplished, for example, by means of a cut through the holland cloth, either along a straight or wavy line so that by-bending the unit as a whole along the line of cut, the edges of the holland cloth may be more easily grasped and removed. It may also be accomplished by having the margins of the holland cloth overlap slightly the edges of the pressure sensitive adhesive A suitable method of stripping the protective backing 22 is shown in Figure 4. The only is out along a wavy line a and the edges of the cut portion are grasped and peeled away from the line of cut. The rivets b, In and b: which hold the stamping 2 in place preferably extend through the backing 22 and a line of severance c through the backing only is provided to prevent tearing. As a result the area d of the backing 22 may either be left in place or stripped separately.

It will be observed that the placing of the metal stamping 2 in the lower portion of the unit provides a relatively large area 24, which may carry printing or any suitable advertising indicia.

The unit as a whole is vertically disposable, that is to say, it is adapted to be placed or adhered to a substantially vertical wall, mirror, showcase, or other plane surface in the manner shown in Figure 3. Before or after the unit is attached to the plane surface, the metal loop I2 is removed and placed around the neck of a bottle, or other article having a flange at the top, and is thereafter re-inserted in the fittings 4 and 6 in the manner already explained. After the bottle has been placed in the wire loop the latter is preferably in a horizontal position, or in a plane normal to the plane of the metal stamping. However, since the wire loop I2 is capable of rotating or moving in the fittings 4 and 8 when no bottle is present, this loop is turned down flat for shipping purposes.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figure 5, a single fitting 28 is provided instead of the dual fittings 4 and 6, and the wire loop 28 is reversed or closed in order to form a figure 8 with the ends 30 and 32 inserted in opposite sides of the single fitting. In this modification of the invention the ends 30 and 32 are disengaged from the fitting 26 by exerting hand pressure against opposite sides of the outer circle. In this modification of the invention the spring tension.

of the loop on the fitting is accomplished primarily by th tension of the wire itself, whereas, in the preferred form of the invention the tension of the ends of the loop against the fitting is assisted by the presence of the bottle.

Figure 6 represents a variation of the invention in which the fittings 34 and 36 are struck out in such a way that the upper ends thereof are open so that the loop 38 may readily be disengaged from the fittings by lifting the ends M and 42 upwardly. A similar modification can lso be made with respect to the single fitting 2B hown in Figure 5. In connection with the single IFitting 28 it will be observed that the fitting is su stantially wider than either of the double ttings 4 and 6 shown in Figures 1 to 3 in .order to provide sufilcient spring tension to hold, the! l bop 28 In the showing of Figures 5 and 6, port ons of the unit have been broken away, but it will be understood that the flexible sheet material I8 is substantially the same as that described in Figures 1 to 4.

Pressure sensitive adhesives such as are employed to make the adhesive backing 2B are old and well known in the art. Usually such adin place.

'hesives are made from rubber or latex compounded with other ingredients. Such other ingradients usually include resins which have some tendency to cause deposits on surfaces to which the adhesively coated unit is attached. In gen eral, I prefer to employ non-resinous types of pressure sensitive adhesives.

The invention has a number of advantages for vertically supporting bottled goods such as drinks and the like for display purposes. The supporting units are compact and simple to manufacture. The wire loops may be manufactured and shipped separately from the pressure sensitive adhesively coated portion of the units, or vice versa. However, it is usually preferable to ship the units with the wire loops turned down so as to lie flat along the face thereof. It will be understood that the size of the wire loop may vary depending upon the particular size of he hottle which is to be displayed but in most instances for the average bottle the wire loop when folded in an upward direction will lie well within the confines of the flexible sheet material on which the metal stamping is supported. The metal stamping 2 may be affixed to the flexible sheet material l8 by riveting, by eyelets, or in any other suitable manner.

The positioning of the metal stamping 2 in the lower portion of the flexible sheet material "3 causes the center of gravity of the unit as a whole to be lower than the center line thereof and tends to prevent the upper part of the unit from peeling off or becoming detached from the wall, glass or other surface to which it is applied. Furthermore, the fact that the loop I2 is capable of movement or rotation in a vertical plane insuresthat the article being supported thereby rests against the adjoining wall, showcase, or other supporting surface and thereby eases any excessive strain which would otherwise have to be borne by the pressure sensitive adhesive if the loop were rigidly attached to the fittings or incapable of permitting the bottle to rest against the supporting wall or surface.

It will be observed by reference to Figures 1 and 3 that the sides l4 and I6 of the wire loop l2 are of such length as to accomplish two purposes, namely, (1) to provide a'grasping area whereby the ends 8 and ill of the loop may be disengaged from the eyelets or holes formed by the pressed out portions 4 and 6, and (2) to provide a suificient spacing between the loop l2 which surrounds the neck of the bottle or other article and the wall, mirror, showcase, or other hesive 20 and may sometimes require changing the shape of the wire loop l2.

The loop l2 may be in the form of a ribbon or band instead of a wire, but is preferably constructed of resilient material not only to provide for gripping of the bottle or other article but also to provide tension in order to hold the ends of the loop in the fittings in the manner already described.

. paste and other articles of a similar type, the

loop in this case being substantially smaller in order to fit around beneath the cap of the tube. The invention may also be employed for supporting vases having a tubular neck provided with a flare or flange at the top. It will be apparent that there are many other instances too numerous to mention where the invention can be employed for display purposes or for other p poses.

cle. It will be understood that the loop or sup-' porting element l2 does not have to be substantially circular, as shown in the drawings, but may be elliptical, hexagonal, octagonal or of any other shape required to surround the article which is to be supported.

The invention contemplates particularly sup porting articles from the upper end thereof so that the weight of th article is below the center of gravity of the supporting unit and can rest against the wall or other supporting surface for the unit. The preferred construction is such that the vertical center line of the article which is being supported is substantially parallel to the wall or other supporting surface. It will be understood that in the type of fitting shown in Figure 6 where the upper end of the fitting is open, the supporting element may be a. continuous piece of wire. Furthermore, in certain instances the supporting element may be open at its outer end, in which event the inner end may be continuous and permanently fastened to the fittings. Thus, in Figure '7, the supporting element 44 is open at its outer ends 46 and 48 while the inner part 50 is continuous and is fastened permanently in the fittings 52 and 54. In Figure 8 another modification of the invention is shown in which the fittings 56 and 58 are open at the top permitting removal of the supporting element 60.

The type of supporting unit shown in Figures 7 and 8 is more particularly adapted for support ing articles which have a groove, or the like, in which the supporting elements 4t and t6 may engage substantially rigidly and without twisting movement due to the fit of the article. As a general rule, moreover, the type of unit shown in Figures 7 and 8 is not as practical for supporting relatively heavy articles such as beer bottles or beer cans, because the supportin elementmust be made out of very stiff wire. For most practical purposes, therefore, the supporting element should surround the article which is being supported. By surrounding the article which is being supported with the supporting element it is possible to take advantage of any irregularity in the article which otherwise is not always possible if the supporting element does not surround the article.

If the supporting element is of the open ended type, such as shown in Figures '7 and 8, it is naturally not necessary to provide for its removal from the fitting when the article to be supported is placed therein. Where the supporting element has the preferred form and surrounds th article which is to be supported in the manner already described, it is necessary to provide for removal of the supporting element from the fittings. However, it is possible to have one end of the supporting element permanently attached to a fitting or to one end of the fitting. For instance, in Figure l the end 8 may be permanently fastened, for example, by looping it around the fitting 41 as long as the end It is not permanently fastened but can be pressed away from the fitting 8 In every instance it is important for the purpose of the invention that the connection between the supporting element and the fittings be fiexible in to permit rotation. Provision of such a flexible connection at this point makes it D 8- sibleto (1) shiptheunitinaflatform,and (2) what is more important, to provide a unit having a pressure sensitive adhesive which does not tend to pull away from the wall or other surface to which it is attached. If the connection between the fittings and the supporting element were rigid, the twisting action would tend to pull the pressure sensitive adhesive away from the supporting surface, particularly wher heav articles such as beer bottles are being supported.

Having. thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A vertically disposable holder for bottles comprising in combination, a flat metal base, a fitting pressed out of said base, and a spring wire supporting element having the central portion thereof bent in the form of a loop to surround the neck of a bottle with'the ends thereof engaging with said fitting in a tensioned relationship, said supporting element having sides between said loop and said ends of substantial length sufilcient to permit the removal of said supporting element from said fitting by pressing said sides toward each other and also suflicient to permit said loop to lie in a plane substantially normal to said fitting while supporting a bottle.

2. A vertically disposable holder for bottles comprising in combination, fiat metal base, a pair of fittings pressed out of said fiat metal base at substantially the same level, said fittings forming a closed opening and having a substantial space therebetween, and a spring wire supporting element having the central portion thereof bent in the form of a loop to surround the neck of a bottle with the ends thereof turned outwardly to engage with the openings in said fitting facing each other and in a tensioned relationship, said supporting element having sides between said loop and said ends of substantial length sufficient to permit the removal of said supporting element from said fitting by pressing said sides toward each other and also sumcient to permit said loop to lie in a plane substantially normal to said fitting while supporting a bottle.

3. A vertically disposable holder for bottles comprising in combination, a flat metal base, a single fitting pressed out of said base of substantial width having openings in the opposite ends thereof, and a spring wire supporting element substantially in the form ofa figure 8 with its ends engaged with the openings in said fitting and resiliently pressing into said openings, the outer loop of said supporting element being adapted to surround the neck of a bottle and the sides adjacent said ends being of sufiicient length to permit removal of said supporting element from said fitting by pressing said sides away from each other and also sufiicient to permit said loop to lie in a plane substantially normal to said fitting while supporting a bottle.

4. A vertically disposable holder for bottles comprising in combination a fiat metal base, a fitting pressed out of said base open at the upper end, and a spring wire supporting element'having the central portion thereof bent in the form of a. loop to surround the heck of a bottle with the ends thereof engaging with said fitting in a tensioned relationship and removable therefrom by lifting them through the upper end of said fitting, said supporting element having sides between said loop and said ends of substantial length sumcient to permit the removal of said supporting element from said fitting by pressing said sides toward each other and also suflicient to permit said loop to lie in a plane substantially normal to said fitting while supporting a bottle.

5. A vertically disposable holder for bottles comprising in combination, a flat sheet-like base,

a fitting formed in said base, and a resilient wirelike supporting element having the central portion thereof bent in theform of a loop to surround the neck of a bottle with theends thereof engaging with said fitting in a tensioned relationship, said supporting element having sides between said loop and said ends of substantial length sufiicient to permit the removal of at least one of the ends of said supporting element from said fitting by pressing said sides toward each other and also sufilcient to permit said loop to lie in a plane substantially normal to said fitting while supporting a bottle.

6. A vertically disposable holder for articles of the character described having a flanged portion at the top thereof, comprising a small sheet-like base, a fitting forming a part of said base, a resilient wire-like supporting element bent in a loop-like form to more than half-way surround said article immediately beneath said flanged portion with the ends of said supporting element engaging said fltting and rotatable therein in either direction to permit said loop to be moved from a position normal to said base to a position parallel to said base in either direction, at least one of said ends being removable from said fitting to prising a small-sheet-like rigid base amxed to one side of a larger sheet-like flexible base in a lower portion of said flexible base, and a pressure sensitive adhesive on the other side of said flexible base, said rigid base having a fitting pressed out therefrom and a supporting element flexibly connected with saidfitting and rotatable about said fitting in either direction from a position normal to said rigid base to a position parallel with said rigid base, said supporting element having a portion thereof bent in the form of a loop to more than half-way surround the outer part of a flanged article and having ends associated with said fitting at least one of which is removable therefrom to permit the insertion of said flanged article, the sides of said supporting element between said ends and said loop being of sufllcient length to permit said loop to lie in a plane substantially normal to said fitting while supporting said article.

CASPAR F. ENGERT. 

